1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flexible buoy especially for connection to an anchor.
2. Prior Art
Flexible anchor buoys have been devised to provide resilient cushioning against permanent deformations and damages that iron anchor buoys conventionally caused to themselves and ships while anchors are being pulled up. A flexible anchor buoy typically comprises a tube for an anchor chain to pass therethrough, a core connected to the tube, and a resilient buoyant member including a buoyant body and a covering enclosing the buoyant body, the resilient buoyant member being disposed around and bonded to both the chain tube and the core. While the anchor is being lifted from the sea, the buoy is held against the ship and is compressed at localized positions under the weight of the anchor as shown in FIG. 5 of the accompanying drawings. The buoy as thus carried by the ship on its way to another place is further subjected to sudden compressive forces when the ship is rolled by waves or changes its sailing speed. This has led to a disadvantage in that the resilient buoyant member, particularly the covering, tends to be ripped off the chain tube due to shearing stresses applied to a region near the chain tube.